Spanish American War (SPAM)

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Spanish American War(SPAM)
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Introduction

• Newspapers in NY compete over comic The Yellow
  Kid
• Started a larger newspaper war between Joseph
  Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst
• Struggle over newspaper sales helped provoke a
  real war, the Spanish American War

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• Rivalry developed into an exaggerated style of
  reporting
• Sensational news stories known as yellow
  journalism
• Helped inflame public support for going to war
  against Spain

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Cuba

• Cuba
• Part of Spains empire (along with Puerto Rico)
• 1800s- Cuba has desire for self-rule
• Economic influence of USA
• Good place to trade and invest sugar industry

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• Jose Marti
• Poet led rebellion and forced to leave Cuba
  moves to US
• Inspires Cubans with calls for liberty
• Engaged in guerilla warfare
• Surprise attacks and fading back into countryside
• Attacks American property to provoke US
  intervention in Cuba

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• Spain brings Gen. Weyler to put down uprising
• Forced 10,000 Cubans into reconcentration camps
• 1000s died from disease and starvation
• Newspapers React
• Americans learned of events through newspapers
• Papers were not as careful in their reporting as
  they are today
• Saw Cuban revolution as a good way to gain new
  readers
• Stretch the truth
• Stir support for rebels

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Americans Call for War

• Americans Call for War
• De Lôme Letter
• Spanish ambassador to a friend in Cuba
• Stolen and sent to NY Journal published
• Called Pres. McKinley weak
• Americans offended
• Intensified Anti-Spanish feelings

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• USS Maine
• Ship sent to Cuba to protect American interests
• Explosion and sinking
• Investigation
• Newspapers blamed Spain
• Evidence sketchy
• Concluded it was caused by an underwater mine
• True story?

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• Teller Amendment
• After Cuba is liberated, the US will leave island
  to its people
• Fighting in the Philippines
• Spains largest remaining colony
• George Dewey led US ships in surprise attack
  Spanish fleet destroyed
• Combined Filipino and American forces took country

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Cuba

• Who fought?
• African-American regiments
• 1st Voluntary cavalry, the Rough Riders, led by
  Teddy Roosevelt
• San Juan Hill
• Rest of the war went quickly (4 months)
• Problems for USA
• Malaria/ yellow fever
• Lacked proper equipment
• Ex wool uniforms
• Poor food

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Cuba

• US emerged as a world power
• Treaty of Paris
• Independence to Cuba
• Puerto Rico and Guam to US
• Philippines to US for 20 mil
• US now a colonial empire

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Senate Debate

• Senate needs to approve treaty
• Influenced by Anti-Imperialist League
• Believed imperialism violates countrys
  principles of freedom and democracy
• Others supported treaty
• Henry Cabot Lodge said country needed to compete
  equally with other great nations
• Treaty was ratified

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Platt Amendment

• Allowed US to intervene in Cuban affairs
• Buy/lease naval bases
• Guantanamo Bay
• Debate over the Philippines
• Expansionists argued in favor of annexation
• Business
• new market and raw materials
• February 6, 1899 Philippines annexed by the
  United States

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• Philippines Governing
• Filipino freedom fighters fought for independence
  from U.S.
• Philippine Government Act established a governor
  and two house legislature to rule the islands
• U.S. appointed governor and upper house
• Filipinos voted on lower House